The Purple Violet Press

Letters to the Editor

Tuesday, 19 June 2012

The Codiac Regional RCMP is releasing a picture and updated
description of the suspect in a robbery at a credit union that occurred
on June 18. (photo left)

Shortly after 2 p.m., a lone suspect entered the institution at 1192
Mountain Road in Moncton and demanded money from an employee. He left
the location with an undisclosed amount of cash. No one was injured
during the incident.

The suspect is a Caucasian man in his late 20s. He is approximately
5'9" tall and stocky. He was wearing blue jeans, a black jacket, a green
baseball cap and running shoes.

Anyone with information on this robbery is asked to contact Codiac
Regional RCMP at 506-857-2400. Information can also be provided
anonymously through Crime Stoppers NB online at www.crimenb.ca or by phone at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Monday, 18 June 2012

Conservation Council expects government to table new bill next session FREDERICTON - Bill 62, an amendment to the Municipalities Act which would give unincorporated rural areas the same authority to vote on shale gas exploration as municipalities, passed second reading in the Legislative Assembly with the support of government.

The bill did not, however, go through and pass the final reading before
the end of the day on June 13 which marked the end of the summer session of the
Legislature. All bills not passed by the end of the session die.

Stephanie Merrill, spokesperson for shale gas at CCNB Action is
encouraged by the fact that the government voted in favour of the bill.

“We are happy to see that the government is supportive of legislating
equal opportunities to rural communities and municipalities in deciding
on shale gas exploration” said Merrill.

Merrill said that the current governance structure in New Brunswick
means unincorporated communities have no legal mechanisms that give them
the authority to decide if shale gas development, and other mining and
development projects, is something they feel fits with the vision of
their community.

“Since the bill passed second reading, we fully expect the government to
bring its own version of the bill back to the Legislature during the
Fall sitting”, said Merrill.

CCNB Action has been advocating that all communities be given this
authority to define the type, pace, scale and place of shale gas
exploration and development.

The RCMP in Grand Falls is investigating a fire at a poultry farm in Saint-François, N.B.

Police and firefighters responded to the fire in the early morning
hours of June 17, 2012. A building that housed a chicken nursery,
located on chemin Bouchard, was destroyed by fire. Approximately 9,500
chickens perished.

The cause of the fire is under investigation and at this time is unknown.

Anyone with information about this incident, or who may have seen
suspicious activity in the area is asked to contact the District 10
RCMP. Information can also be provided anonymously to Crime Stoppers at www.crimenb.ca or 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

- There is some speculation this incident might be part of the ongoing dispute between Nadeau Poultry Farms and Groupe Westco. This publication did a story on the disagreement between the two companies earlier this year. - ED.

ROTHESAY – “The Conservatives are trying
to spin their way out of a mess they created. I want the Conservatives to
explain why Efficiency New Brunswick needed four Presidents and CEOs in the
last year,” said New Brunswick New Democrat Leader Dominic Cardy.

Cardy questioned Deputy Premier Paul
Robichaud’s explanation for Premier David Alward’s decision to appoint former
Conservative MLA for Rothesay Margaret-Ann Blaney to be CEO and President of
Efficiency New Brunswick. Mr. Robichaud told the media that Ms. Blaney was
hired to replace former CEO of Efficiency NB Elizabeth Weir, when in fact the
position was filled in March by the deputy minister of environment Denis Caron,
and has been previously held by other civil servants.

“My problem is not with Ms. Blaney – it
is with the system that gives New Brunswick Premiers, Liberal and
Conservatives, the power to play favourites with our public service,” said
Cardy.

Since the Conservatives
were elected Premier Alward has appointed his campaign co-chairs to head
InvestNB and NB Liquor. The previous Liberal government also has a record
of patronage. Former Premier Shawn Graham appointed one of his closest
political advisors to be CEO of NB Liquor in 2006 and then, when he lost the
election, made sure he was gifted with a secret pension.

Mr. Cardy is the New Democrat candidate
in the riding of Rothesay, and has committed to ending patronage in New
Brunswick.

“If
elected I will bring the Rothesay Charter
to End Patronage to the legislature,” said Cardy. “This Bill would make it
an offense for an elected politician to try and influence the hiring process in
any way.”

Cardy
added, “Except for the individuals working directly for politicians, and
ceremonial offices, all government appointments will be made based on merit and
without the influence of elected officials.”

“For 150 years, the Conservatives and
Liberals have traded power back and forth, making bad decisions that have
undermined our economy and weakened our province,” said Cardy. “It is time for
a change.”

ROTHESAY
– As Liberal candidate John Wilcox campaigns in the Rothesay by-election, he's finding there is confusion around the explanations the Tories have given regarding the appointment of the riding’s former MLA, Margaret-Ann Blaney, to CEO of Efficiency New Brunswick .

“This
issue keeps coming up as I go door to door,” Wilcox said. “It’s become a
source of embarrassment for the people of Rothesay, and the Tories keep
making things worse by coming up with a new explanation every day.

“The bottom line is it was the wrong thing to do and no one in government can stand up and admit it.”

The
day Blaney resigned as Rothesay MLA she was made
CEO of Efficiency NB by Premier Alward. There was no competition posted for the job, which commands one of the highest salaries in
the civil service.

During a budget
debate in the legislature this spring, the minister responsible for
Efficiency NB, Bruce Fitch, said his party saved taxpayers $200,000 a year
by eliminating the position of CEO of Efficiency NB, noting the duties
were to be handled by an existing deputy minister.

A
few weeks later, Alward announced Blaney was appointed to the job
that had been eliminated. Last week, Deputy Premier Paul Robichaud
claimed the position had not been eliminated, directly contradicting his
fellow cabinet minister Fitch.

The Conservatives promised to eliminate patronage during the 2010
provincial election campaign.

”I don’t agree with it, and I have yet to meet anyone who agrees with it during this campaign,” Wilcox said.

FREDERICTON
– Opposition Labour critic Chris Collins (photo left) is worried about the
ramifications of Bill C-38, passed in parliament after a marathon
session in Ottawa late last week.

Bill
C-38 includes reforms to the Employment Insurance program that could
have a devastating impact on New Brunswick’s seasonal industries.

The
Opposition Liberals urged the Alward government throughout the
legislative session to discuss the issue with the Prime Minister on issues that
matter to New Brunswickers – including EI reform.

Collins,
Moncton East MLA Chris Collins and critic for Post-Secondary Education,
Training, and Labour is disappointed that Premier Alward refused to
speak out against Harper during the EI debate. “Other premiers spoke
out. But our premier has showed time and again he is reluctant to stand
up to the Conservatives in Ottawa.”

Collins
notes that it isn’t just traditional industries that will be affected
by EI reform. Workers in the fisheries, agriculture, and forestry
sectors are immediately thought of when reforms are discussed. Several
other workers will be affected, however. “Think about teachers without
full-time positions, TA’s, bus drivers, or any other staff in the school
system. If they don’t have contracts, they don’t get paid in the
summer. EI reform will hurt them too.”

Collins
also notes how difficult EI reform will be on tourism in the province.
“Yes, we have winter tourism, and have worked to grow that industry. But
people mainly travel in spring, summer, and fall. It is difficult for
workers living in tourist destinations to find alternate work in the
downtime.”

Collins’
first concern is for seasonal workers. Like others, however, he knows
these changes will negatively affect business owners as well. “First,
the government will ask employees to drive an hour to find work in their
down time. With the high price of gas, that has a cost, and that’s if
people have reliable transportation in the first place. Eventually they
are going to move. We will be lucky if they stay in the province, but
they are more likely to head West.”

With
an out-migration of seasonal workers, businesses will struggle to
survive. The Opposition Liberals worry that businesses in the province
will close shop if the workers aren’t available.